The world keeps turning and so does the machinery of madness (more on that further down the page); fortunately so do the wheels of sanity, nonviolence, justice, mercy and peacemaking. With less than a week before we commemorate the horrific atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki I thought it a good time for an update and some reflection.

As for our friends the Disarm Now Plowshares, things are fairly quiet (for now). Anne Montgomery has been enjoying her quiet,contemplative freedom since her release, and will no doubt rejoin her sisters down in California sometime soon. As for Bill “Bix” Bichsel, I wouldn’t know where to start. He is “covering the waterfront” as they say. Not long after his return from Knoxville I got a call, and Bix was asking about upcoming plans for the August weekend, Peace Fleet, Mayors for Peace… I think I ran out of paper trying to take notes!!! I trust we will see him this coming weekend standing strong outside the Bangor submarine base gate.

Our other three comrades remain in prison. Lynne Greenwald is getting closer to her release date in September. Meanwhile, she is enjoying her special prison subscription to the Ground Zero Newsletter, as are Steve Kelly and Susan Crane. Both Lynne and Susan keep up with news of the outside world primarily by TV and radio (no, it’s not all Fox news; they get NPR too), so they would love to receive the occasional article from the progressive press. As for Steve, I understand he’s spending a great deal (or perhaps almost all) of his time in the hole (aka: Special Handling Unit or SHU); isn’t that special?!?!?! It is his “monastery.” The system just doesn’t appreciate it when people stand up for their moral principles – and Steve doesn’t back down (imagine that). Mailing addresses are still kept up to date at the Disarm Now Plowshares Contact page.

Sr. Jackie Hudson continues to receive good (and compassionate) medical care in the hospital. The doctors are getting all her systems (especially blood) stable in preparation to begin chemotherapy for her multiple myeloma that they finally discovered upon her return home. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells of the bone marrow. It’s been a rough road, but she is finally seeing the light of day. Once she has started chemo they expect to transfer her to a nursing rehabilitation center to get back on her feet. Sue Ablao has been by her side constantly, and family members of both Sue and Jackie has been visiting to help out (so Sue can get some occasional rest). You can write to Jackie care of Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, 16159 Clear Creek Road, Poulsbo, WA 98370.

Lots of wonderful things going on here around Puget Sound this week as we approach the weekend commemorating the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I hope you will have the opportunity to participate in some local activity wherever you may be.

The Interfaith Peace Walk continues to make its way toward its final destination – Ground Zero Center and the Bangor base. Today the walkers should be arriving in Tacoma. Click here for the full schedule.

The Peace Fleet meets the War Fleet (sort of a David vs Goliath thing, but without the violence) this Wednesday at the Seattle waterfront; wonderful event started years ago by Glen Milner (known by the FBI as a “Quaker Peace Activist”). Click here for information and a link to photos of last year’s event.

Finally, Ground Zero Center will hold its annual August weekend that will include a vigil and nonviolent direct action at the entrance gate to the Bangor Trident nuclear submarine base. Click here for the full schedule of events.

Finally, I must share with you something that is so bizarre and yet should not surprise any of us. This is from the “I didn’t think things could get any more bizarre” category.

This is crazy stuff folks. “The mandatory Nuclear Ethics and Nuclear Warfare session, which includes a discussion on St. Augustine’s “Christian Just War Theory,” is led by Air Force chaplains and takes place during a missile officer’s first week in training at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California” (source: Truthout article). Yes, Jesus wants you to push that button kids. They even included Wernher von Braun. Remember? He shot for the moon, but he hit London. You need to read not only the two articles, but the ethics training document. Did you know there is such a thing as “Nuclear Ethics???” Now that’s special.

So there you have it. The military twisting God to justify not only killing, but mass annihilation, genocide, omnicide… whatever you want to call it. Does it make you want to go to seminary so that you can become a nuclear chaplain??? Well, the God of war is not any god with whom I am familiar (or want to be for that matter).

Such madness can only remind us of the need to stay centered and continue to shine the bright light of nonviolence on the darkness that surrounds us. And so the journey continues…